Early Results Are In For Pilot Project
After months of data collection and many hours of reviewing on-site videos, early information is available about the community-led pilot to improve safety in boarding zones as an alternative to removing parking.
The L Taraval Boarding Zone Pilot Project is our effort to evaluate how well measures like new street markings, signs and flashing lights on trains are working to get drivers to stop behind loading Muni trains on Taraval.
If successful, the pilot will preserve parking spaces at these five stops. If the measures fail to increase the share of drivers who stop to 90 percent, or if anyone is injured at a pilot location, boarding islands will be installed at each location.
Since April, we’ve collected data on how these changes have impacted the share of drivers who stop behind stopped trains at five inbound stops on Taraval, between 26th and 40th avenues. Each instance where a stopped train interacted with a vehicle was noted and tracked based on whether or not cars stopped behind the train as required by law.
According to the recorded data as of our initial evaluation in May 2017, compliance with the new treatments increased slightly to 75 percent, up from 72 percent compliance prior to changes. At this point in the study, driver compliance is still short of the 90 percent compliance goal.
As the pilot moves into its final phase, canvassers will conduct a second distribution of educational posters to merchants on the corridor and enforcement may be increased.
Final data will be collected in the coming weeks and results will be presented to the community in October. This final report will be used to inform the SFMTA Board of Directors on whether or not boarding islands should be included at the pilot locations during the construction that is planned to start in early 2018.
Angled Parking Ballots Released
Ballots and informational letters started arriving in corridor mailboxes on streets where angled parking is proposed in August. Likewise, you may have seen our posters up along the corridor or our flyers and door hangers encouraging folks to vote.
If over 50 percent of households on a block who vote support adding angled parking to their block, angled parking will be implemented on that block in the following months. If adopted on all proposed blocks, this would add over 140 new parking spaces to the area.
Check out the overall parking plan to see where additional spots could be added and how the orientation would change the streets.
Reminder: Polls close on Tuesday, September 12.
Stop Spacing Surveys Going on Now
SFMTA continues to study how the L Taraval stops are spaced to make transit faster and more reliable. Project staff have received many comments about stop locations and studied how many riders use each location. Now we are also conducting surveys in English and Chinese of riders and merchants along the corridor to ask them about their preferences. These surveys will focus on the stops at 17th Avenue (inbound) and 44th Avenue (inbound/outbound).
This survey will be just one of many data points that will be considered when final stop spacing plans are presented to the SFMTA Board of Directors this later this fall.
In the event that the loading zone pilot is not successful, staff are also evaluating whether to propose removing the stop at 35th Avenue. This will be based on the feasibility of adding a boarding island at this location, which may conflict with the presence of a train “crossover” nearby. The existing crossover at this location allows trains to turn back in the opposite direction, but may conflict with a full-length boarding island. We will keep you posted with further details on this pending the outcome of the pilot.
Stay Connected
For more details on the project, check out the L Taraval Rapid Project website and be sure to sign up for updates.